Huntington Quarterly Autumn 2022

For their grand opening, people lined up on both sides of the sidewalk, in a drizzling rain, to get a glimpse of the new art gallery. What’s more, every piece of art in the gallery was sold that day. Born in Logan, West Virginia, Hobbs is an artist in his own right. He curates everything in the gallery — the jewelry, furniture, glassware, pottery, lamps and rugs. “He’s got a really good eye, so he doesn’t bring in anything that doesn’t make sense,” said Sloane. To find all these treasures, Hobbs travels to Louisville, Lexington, Cleveland, Columbus or wherever he thinks he can find just the right piece to complete a show. He said it sometimes takes months to bring everything together. Hobbs, who has been in the customer service business for 35 years, said he finds helping customers to be the most satisfying part of his work. Although the furniture and furnishings are vintage, each piece has been refurbished and repaired and is ready to place in your home. Beyond carrying a full line of curated vintage furniture, Hobbs also has begun to design furniture and some jewelry.With inspiration from his paintings, Sloane designs a lot of the clothing, tennis shoes and purses, which are then handcrafted in Paris, in London or by area artisans like River City Leather. While Sloane thinks of his paintings as a product, Hobbs knows the best way to sell them is to put them in a setting that allows prospective buyers to imagine the pieces in their homes. The gallery’s hanging system is deliberately set at an 8-foot ceiling height because that’s the typical height of most rooms in homes. Hobbs will take a work of art to a potential customer’s home to show them how it will fit into their décor. The gallery is the result of everything the couple wanted to happen, and more. “Jimmy had the vision for the gallery and for it to be here,” Sloane explained. “I love being here because the people who walk in every day say they are inspired, and that the gallery gives them hope. That’s worth more than … I love that. I take what they say and it, in turn, inspires me.” I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT HAD THE MOST AMAZING POTENTIAL TO BE AN ARTS AND ANTIQUES DISTRICT. IT'S BEEN A PHENOMENAL AREA THAT HAS TRULY COME TOGETHER IN THE LAST YEAR SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. JIMMY HOBBS

Hobbs travels wherever he thinks he can find just the right piece to complete a show.

Vintage furniture and furnishings are refurbished and repaired.

“Our neighbors have been phenomenal to us in the 14 months we’ve been open,” said Hobbs. The gallery opens a new show with works by Sloane and corresponding curated room settings by Hobbs every three months. Their next show, featuring Sloane’s paintings of world-famous artists, opens December 1. Go and be inspired. CARTER SEATON is a freelance writer living in Huntington, West Virginia. She is the author of two novels and two nonfiction books. She received the 2014 Literary Merit Award from the West Virginia Library Association, the Marshall University College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015 and the Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts in 2016.

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